SEATTLE — Demonstrations against Islamic law on Saturday in cities across the United States drew counterprotests by people who said the events stoked unfounded fears and presented a distorted view of the religion.

Hundreds marched through downtown Seattle, banging drums, cymbals, and cowbells behind a large sign saying ‘‘Seattle stands with our Muslim neighbors.’’

Participants chanted ‘‘No hate, no fear, Muslims are welcome here’’ on their way to City Hall, while a phalanx of bicycle police officers separated them from an anti-Sharia rally numbering in the dozens.

A phalanx of bicycle police officers kept the sides separated during the sanctioned events, but conflicts flared as the gatherings concluded. Police used tear gas to disperse rowdy demonstrators and arrested several people, including some for investigation of assault.

In front of the Trump building in downtown Chicago, about 30 people demonstrated against Islamic law and in favor of President Trump, shouting slogans and holding signs calling for bans on Sharia. About twice as many counterprotesters marshaled across the street.

A similar scene played out in a park near a New York courthouse, where counterprotesters sounded air horns and banged pots and pans in an effort to silence an anti-Sharia rally.

After some of the New York counterprotesters crossed a street and approached the rally, officers stood between the groups. The anti-Sharia demonstrators yelled, ‘‘Commie scum!’’ The counter-protesters shouted, ‘‘Nazis!’’

‘‘The theme of today is drowning out racism,’’ said counterprotester Tony Murphy, standing next to demonstrators with colorful earplugs. ‘‘The more racists get a platform, the more people get attacked.’’

The rallies were held in more than two dozen US cities, including Boston. They were organized by ACT for America, which claims Islamic law is incompatible with Western democracy. The organization said it opposes discrimination and supports the rights of those subject to Sharia. However, the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups, calls it the largest American anti-Muslim group.

‘‘I don’t believe Islam can peacefully coexist with the Constitution,’’ said Seattle anti-Sharia demonstrator Aaron Bassford, 29. ‘‘I’m not going to tell them they can come here and take away my Second Amendment right. We need unity in this country under no ideology and no banner except the Constitution of the United States of America.’’

But the overwhelming majority of Muslims don’t want to replace US law with Islamic law, known as Sharia, and only ‘‘radical extremist groups’’ would call for that, said Liyakat Takim, a professor of Islamic studies at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.

Sharia, Takim said, refers to guidelines or principles — how Muslims should live. ‘‘Fiqh’’ refers to jurisprudence, or specific laws. The values embedded in Sharia do not change and are shared among Muslims, he said, while fiqh is open to interpretation and change, and in fact differs among Islamic sects and communities.

‘‘The Koran allows slavery, so does the Old Testament. That doesn’t mean we allow it today, too,’’ he said. ‘‘Laws are amenable to change,’’ Takim said.

The marches come amid a rise in reports of anti-Muslim incidents in the United States, including arson attacks and vandalism at mosques, harassment of women wearing Muslim head coverings, and bullying of Muslim schoolchildren.

►About 75 people marched in Boston’s anti-Sharia event. B4